The Haves and the Have Nots
January 20th, 2008, 1:02 pm
I’m not going to torture us all by recapping last night’s game against Detroit; instead, I’ll sum it one with one (ok, two) statements. The Wings are better. A lot better.
Not only do the Wings have superior talent, talent that is actually performing (ahem), but they they all play with the same intensity, regardless of the score or time on the clock. It’s a lesson the Sharks still haven’t learned this year.
I hate to revisit the same old topics again and again, but after a late-night discussion with grier, they seem to be new again.
First of all, is trading young talent for Sundin really the answer? Let’s say we get rid of Pavelski, Marleau and Bernier (perhaps among others) so we can get Antropov, Raycroft and Sundin. Would we be on par with the Ducks or Wings? Not really. And Sundin is UFA after this season, so DW would be raiding the pantry for what? So we can dump Marleau’s contract? To keep the fans from complaining? We are more than a Sundin away from winning this thing.
This brings me to my second point. As I commented in the previous post, something has to be done about Marleau, because he’s just sucking ass, and not really getting better. He’s -20 now, for those keeping score at home. It’s long been discussed and rumored that he and RW are at odds. What about dumping the bench boss? Grier thinks he won’t be back next year whatever happens, but maybe the Sharks should make a change now. It might immediately cure the Marleau issue. A new style may smooth out the huge ebbs and flows of intensity that we’ve all witnessed. Does anyone honestly believe the Sharks would be playing (and losing) the way they have in the last week if Ken Hitchcock was behind the bench? Or Mike Babcock? or Ted Nolan?
It might be time to make a change in that department. It would give us more info on the depth of the Marleau situation and more insight as to what this team really needs. I’m not saying the Sharks should pack it in for this year- teams get hot in the playoffs, and a hot Sharks squad could be very dangerous come April. But perhaps the Sharks should realize changes need to be made if the Stanley Cup is truly the goal. Regardless of their hot streaks, their cold streaks, and everything else, one thing is undisputed. The Sharks cannot beat the elite teams in this league. Until you can do that, the Cup is just a pipe dream.
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This is a difficult position for Doug Wilson. By firing RW, he is admitting the Sharks are broken. By trading Patrick Marleau, he is admitting the player he intrusted as a cornerstone and captain is a failure. I think it is time for the coach to go and let’s see if the boys can respond to a new voice. If they don’t, then you send some of them packing, but as Mike said, trading young players like Bernier and Pavelski is only disrupting the core for a shot to win this year – which realisticly isn’t going to happen. Last night is proof positive that the Sharks are leaps and bounds behind the Mighty Wings. After Dallas, Detroit, Anaheim and Ottawa, we are “the best of the rest”, which equates to absolutely nothing in terms of winning a Cup.
It is soul searching time for the front office.
“Grier thinks he won’t be back next year”
Please call the local guy “CS Grier” or something? It’s hard to tell if if Grier is saying something or if it’s actually Grier. Sometimes makes this blog annoying to read.
I’m sure I’ve never quoted the real Grier here or at Shaved Ice, or attributed a statement or feeling to him. If I ever do so, you’ll know it. Generally I use lower case (“grier”) but it was the beginning of the sentence…
Good news! Our problem has been solved! DW has called Plihal up… done deal. The Cup is now surely ours.
You may have touched on this before, but who would you imagine replacing Ron Wilson? Do the Sharks have a Boudreau in the wings?
In my opinion, the question to be answered is: what do you do to send the team the biggest wake-up call? Trading a captain does that more than replacing a coach. But I don’t think Sundin is your answer, either – he’s not the fiery voice that’s been missing. If the Rangers continue to falter, why not look their way? Get your pest, and your leader in a multi-player deal.
A guy I know likes Mike Haviland. But I think you talk to Hartley and Burns. Maybe Kitchen and Robinson too. Not sure how the deal goes with talking to working assistants.